Electric battery.



UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcn.

FELIPPE SABO IA BANDEIRA DE MELLO, OF RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FnLirrr. Sanom BAN- nmnann MELLl). of 7G Rua S. Jos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have invented.certain new and useful Improvel'nents in or Relating to ElectricBatteries, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to electric batteries and applies both to primaryand to secondary batteries.

The leading feature of the invention consists in the employment, as adepolarizer, of a copper compound obtained by submitting protosulfid ofcopper (@1153) to the action of electric current in a solution ofalkaline hydrate and exposing the resulting product to the air. As isknown, protosultid of copper can be obtained by the combustion of copperin sulfur vapor away from contact with the air.

In carrying out the invention in practice, I proceed as follows to forma depolarizing ele1nent:-The protosulfid of copper having been obtainedin the manner above indicated, I break it into small pieces which Iplace in a cylinder of wire cloth (say copper) disposed around ametallic rod (say copper) which forms the axis of the depolarizer. Thecylindrical element thus obtained will form a voltaic couple with Zinc,having a concentrated solution of caustic soda as an electrolyte, andsuch a couple serves for converting the copper protosulfid to a porousmass containing subsulfid of copper (Cu S) according to the reactionQCuS-l-electrolysis=(lu. ,Sl-S which is the substance em- ,ployed in thepreparation of the depolarizer.

The said couple has an I). M; F. of 0.7 volt, and I allow it to work forseveral days until complete reduction of the copper protosulfid to aporous mass formed of copper sulfid and caustic soda, and contained inthe Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed 0ctober'23, 1913. Serial No. 796,949.

Patented July 27, 191 5.

enveloping wire cloth cylinder. The cylindrical element is withdrawnfrom caustic.

soda and immersed or washed in ordinarv water, which frees it fromzincate of sodium. 011 then exposing the element to the air at ordinarytemperature, the porous mass oxidizes, becoming an oxysulfid of copper,and the depolarizing element is then ready for use as an element in aprimary or secondary battery with any. suitable electrolyte, forexample, caustic soda and any suitable element to form the other-memberof the couple, for example, zinc.

The new depolarizer has the property of reconstituting or regeneratingitself easily so that it can work many times or almost in definitely.For this reconstitution it sufiices to immerse the exhausted depolarizerin plain water and to allow it to dry afterward in the air. It is thusreoxidized and can be used again in the same way.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of manufacturing a depolarizing substance for primary orsecond ary batteries which consists in converting by electrolysis sulfidof copper into a subsulfid of copper (C11 8), employing an electrolyteof an alkaline hydrate, and in oxidizing such subsulfid of copper byexposure to the air.

2. A depolarizing substance for electric batteries substantiallyconsisting of oxysulfid of copper.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence ofsubscribing witnesses.

FELIPPE SABOIA BANDEIRA DI) HELLO.

Witnesses:

G. SEcoND, HANSON C. Coxn, Pmmrrn nMAN'rnvILL.

